Glad to hear that the sport is doing well in some parts of the world, even though it is sinking in the US

USA has just as much star skaters PLUS such advantage in the next generation like Zhang or Nagasu. Japan envies that.
What might lack in the US, I think, might be some "rivalry in tight tension", though I'm not confident about this imagination of mine.
(Formula-1 showed a peak in popularity when Prost and Senna was in such a dramatic rivalry.)

Here, Miki and Mao were sort of brought up together on the same training rink, are good friends, but they ARE very conscious of each other.
And of course Yu-Na, our lovely neighbor, has joined in this mutual consciousness for some time already.
Men's rivalry in figure skating may not work as much as ladies', promotion-wise.

I think Caro and Mirai will show some thrilling rivalry on the senior scene next season.
And my prediction is that Mirai will take the lead.

Originally Posted by kandidy

But when I saw the skater scoop on TV, it is like a soap opera story.
Sometimes make me annoyed those television news.

Yeah? Oh, maybe a bit so, but where paticulary was annoying?
Perhaps it's that "using the same fluff clip over and over again"?

USA has just as much star skaters PLUS such advantage in the next generation like Zhang or Nagasu. Japan envies that.
What might lack in the US, I think, might be some "rivalry in tight tension", though I'm not confident about this imagination of mine.
(Formula-1 showed a peak in popularity when Prost and Senna was in such a dramatic rivalry.)
...

While the US has a lot of "star skaters", it doesn't have the people watching skating on TV or buying tickets to event that Japan seems to have. Unfortunately, the US doesn't go to well for "friendly rivalries" -- maybe, they are insufficiently dramatic (especially when compared to Tonya/Nancy).